Power plug, electrical plug assembly and electrical charger assembly

BACKGROUND

00011. Technical Field

0002The present disclosure generally relates to plug assemblies used to connect a mains electricity supply with an electronic device requiring such power, and to an electrical charger assembly with a power plug adapted to connect to a socket of the mains electricity supply.

00032. Description of Related Art

0004Portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), are used all over the world. These portable electronic devices have individual rechargeable batteries as energy storage elements for providing operation voltages. When going out or traveling, people need to ensure that the battery of their portable electronic device has sufficient charge. Thus a charger is needed to recharge the battery.

0005Most chargers include a charger housing and a power plug connected to the charger housing via a cable. There are many types of power plugs in different countries, or even in one country, each type of power plug having a detailed specification and being suitable only for a certain type of mains power socket. In some circumstances the available power socket may not match the power plug. For example, the power plug may be a two-pin blade plug, and the power socket may be a three-pin socket with cylindrical receptacles.

0006What is needed, therefore, is a means of overcoming the described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0007The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and all the views are schematic.

0008<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is an isometric view of a charger assembly according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the charger assembly includes a power plug and a charger.

0009<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an exploded view of the charger assembly of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>.

0010<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is an exploded, isometric view of the power plug of the charger assembly of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, showing the power plug upside down, and wherein the power plug includes a base body and an inserting assembly.

0011<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is an exploded, isometric view of the inserting assembly of the power plug of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>.

0012<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is an assembled view of the inserting assembly of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>.

0013<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is an enlarged, exploded, isometric view of an accepting assembly of the charger of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>.

0014<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is similar to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, but viewed from another aspect.

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> is a cross-sectional view of only the charger of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, taken along line VIII-VIII thereof.

0016<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> is a cross-sectional view of both the power plug and the charger of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, taken along line VIII-VIII thereof.

0017<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> is an isometric view of a charger assembly according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

0018Reference will be made to the drawings to describe various embodiments.

0019Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, in a first embodiment, a charger assembly <b>1</b> includes a charger <b>10</b> and a power plug <b>20</b>. Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, the charger <b>10</b> includes a charger body <b>11</b> and an accepting assembly <b>13</b>.

0020Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the power plug <b>20</b> may be a three-pin plug or a two-pin plug. In this embodiment, the power plug <b>20</b> is the three-pin plug. The power plug <b>20</b> includes a base body <b>22</b> and an inserting assembly <b>23</b>. The base body <b>22</b> includes a base plate <b>220</b> having a first surface <b>222</b> and a second surface <b>226</b> at opposite sides thereof. Three first sidewalls <b>221</b> perpendicularly extend from the first surface <b>222</b> of the base plate <b>220</b>, and three plug pins <b>225</b> perpendicularly extend from the second surface <b>226</b> of the base plate <b>220</b>. The three plug pins <b>225</b> electrically connect to a socket providing, e.g., domestic alternating current (AC) of 220-240 volts or the like. One of the three plug pins <b>225</b> connects to ground, and the other two plug pins <b>225</b> connect to the operation voltage of the socket. The three first sidewalls <b>221</b> connect end to end to form a first space <b>228</b>, with a bottom side and a front side of the first space <b>228</b> exposed to the outside. Two conductive pads <b>227</b> are disposed on the first surface <b>222</b> of the base plate <b>220</b> inside the first space <b>228</b>, and electrically connect to said other two plug pins <b>225</b>.

0021The inserting assembly <b>23</b> includes two conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> and a plug cover <b>25</b>. The conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> are mirror images of each other. Each conductive connecting blade <b>24</b> includes a flat piece <b>240</b> which defines a first fixing hole <b>241</b>, a first extending piece <b>242</b>, and a second extending piece <b>244</b>. The flat piece <b>242</b> is rectangular. The first and second extending pieces <b>242</b>, <b>244</b> perpendicularly extend from two adjacent sides of the flat piece <b>240</b>. The first and second extending pieces <b>242</b>, <b>244</b> extend away from each other in substantially opposite directions. A first conductive contact portion <b>243</b> protrudes from a distal end of the first extending piece <b>242</b>. A second conductive contact portion <b>245</b> protrudes from an inner face of a distal end of the second extending piece <b>244</b>, whereby a surface of the second conductive contact portion <b>245</b> is hidden from the flat piece <b>240</b>.

0022Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, the plug cover <b>25</b> includes a lower plate <b>252</b>, a first end plate <b>253</b> perpendicularly connected to the lower plate <b>252</b>, and an inserting portion <b>29</b>. The lower plate <b>252</b> and the first end plate <b>253</b> form an L-shaped profile. Two holding portions <b>258</b> protrude from a front surface of the lower plate <b>252</b>. Two receiver slots <b>285</b> are defined in the two holding portions <b>258</b>, respectively, and the receiver slots <b>285</b> are essentially blind slots. Each receiver slot <b>285</b> resembles the letter “T” as viewed in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>; and includes a narrow portion <b>283</b> (representing the stem part of the “T”) at a bottom surface of the lower plate <b>252</b>, and a wide portion <b>281</b> (representing the crossbar part of the “T”) in a curved fillet where the first end plate <b>253</b> connects to the lower plate <b>252</b>. A width D<b>1</b> of the narrow portion <b>283</b> is less than a width D<b>2</b> of the wide portion <b>281</b>, therefore forming the “T” shaped profile. The pair of receiver slots <b>285</b> serve as a first fixing unit <b>28</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b>.

0023The first end plate <b>253</b> includes two fixing portions <b>259</b> protruding from the front surface thereof. The two fixing portions <b>259</b> are located above the two holding portions <b>258</b>. The inserting portion <b>29</b> extends out from the rear surface of the first end plate <b>253</b>. The inserting portion <b>29</b> is cylindrical and hollow, and defines a central inserting hole <b>292</b>. The inserting hole <b>292</b> passes through both the entire first end plate <b>253</b> and the entire inserting portion <b>29</b>. A front end of the inserting hole <b>292</b> is located between the two fixing portions <b>259</b>. The inserting portion <b>29</b> includes a first cylindrical outer surface <b>290</b> and a first cylindrical inner surface <b>291</b>. The first cylindrical inner surface <b>291</b> defines two parallel first containing grooves <b>293</b> at opposite lateral sides thereof, respectively. The two first containing grooves <b>293</b> communicate with the inserting hole <b>292</b>, and also extend through the entire first end plate <b>253</b>. The first cylindrical outer surface <b>290</b> includes two parallel sliding blocks <b>295</b> at opposite lateral sides thereof, respectively.

0024Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, the two conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> are fixed to the plug cover <b>25</b>. The two fixing portions <b>259</b> are inserted into the first fixing holes <b>241</b> of the flat pieces <b>240</b> of the two conductive connecting blades <b>24</b>, thereby fixing the conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> to the first end plate <b>253</b> of the plug cover <b>25</b>. For each conductive connecting blade <b>24</b>, the first extending piece <b>242</b> and one of the two holding portions <b>258</b> immediately below oppose each other; and the first extending piece <b>242</b> and the corresponding holding portion <b>258</b> are located generally at opposite sides of a corresponding one of the first fixing holes <b>241</b>. The second extending pieces <b>244</b> of the two conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> are received in the two first containing grooves <b>293</b> and limited in the first containing grooves <b>293</b>. The inserting assembly <b>23</b> is detachably engaged with the base body <b>22</b>, e.g., by snap-fitting of a peripheral edge (not labeled) of the plug cover <b>25</b> into a peripheral groove (not labeled) defined in a peripheral edge (not labeled) of the base body <b>22</b>. The lower plate <b>252</b> and the first end plate <b>253</b> of the plug cover <b>25</b> cooperatively cover a bottom end and a rear end of the first space <b>228</b>. Thereby, the first space <b>228</b> is cooperatively enclosed by the base body <b>22</b> and the plug cover <b>25</b>, and the conductive connecting blades <b>24</b>, the holding portions <b>258</b> and the conductive pads <b>227</b> are enclosed in the first space <b>228</b>. The first conductive contact portions <b>243</b> of the two conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> resiliently abut against the two conductive pads <b>227</b> of the base body <b>22</b>, and operation voltages can be applied to the conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> by the cooperation of the plug pins <b>225</b>, the conductive pads <b>227</b> and the first conductive contact portions <b>243</b>.

0025The charger body <b>11</b> of the charger <b>10</b> includes a charger housing <b>12</b>. The charger housing <b>12</b> is hollow and defines a cutout at a top front corner thereof. The inserting assembly <b>23</b> is detachably mounted in the cutout. The accepting assembly <b>13</b> of the charger <b>10</b> includes two conductive pins <b>14</b> and a charger cover <b>15</b>. The charger cover <b>15</b> covers the charger housing <b>12</b> and detachably engages with the plug cover <b>25</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b>.

0026Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6 and 7</figref>, the conductive pins <b>14</b> are symmetrical about an imaginary center line of the charger cover <b>15</b>. Each conductive pin <b>14</b> includes a main body <b>140</b>, and a leading-out portion <b>146</b> attached to a first end <b>148</b> of the main body <b>140</b>. The main body <b>140</b> defines a first buckling groove <b>143</b> and a second buckling groove <b>142</b> at opposite outer and inner sides thereof, respectively. The first buckling groove <b>143</b> is closer to the first end <b>148</b> of the main body <b>140</b> than the second buckling groove <b>142</b>. The leading-out portion <b>146</b> includes a flat blade <b>144</b> attached to an end surface of the first end <b>148</b> of the main body <b>140</b>, and an extending blade <b>145</b> perpendicularly connected to the flat blade <b>144</b>.

0027The charger cover <b>15</b> includes a bottom plate <b>152</b>, a second end plate <b>153</b> perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate <b>152</b>, and an accepting portion <b>19</b>. The bottom plate <b>152</b> and the second end plate <b>153</b> form an L-shaped profile. The bottom plate <b>152</b> includes two fixing protrusions <b>185</b> protruding from a top side thereof. Each fixing protrusion <b>185</b> includes a first portion <b>183</b> and a second portion <b>181</b>, wherein the first portion <b>183</b> interconnects the second portion <b>181</b> and the bottom plate <b>152</b>. In the illustrated embodiment, the first portion <b>183</b> is in the form of a neck, and the second portion <b>181</b> is in the form of a head. The first portion <b>183</b> perpendicularly protrudes from the bottom plate <b>152</b>. The first portion <b>183</b> is cylindrical, and has a diameter D<b>4</b> substantially the same as the width D<b>1</b> of the narrow portion <b>283</b>. The second portion <b>181</b> is approximately triangular, and has a width D<b>3</b> substantially the same as the width D<b>2</b> of the wide portion <b>281</b>. The pair of fixing protrusions <b>185</b> serve as a second fixing unit <b>18</b> of the accepting assembly <b>13</b>.

0028The accepting portion <b>19</b> extends rearward out from the second end plate <b>153</b> at a side of the second end plate <b>153</b> opposite from the side where the bottom plate <b>152</b> is connected. The accepting portion <b>19</b> is cylindrical and hollow, and defines a central accepting hole <b>192</b>. The accepting hole <b>192</b> extends from the second end plate <b>153</b> to a tail <b>194</b> of the accepting portion <b>19</b>. The accepting portion <b>19</b> includes a second cylindrical outer surface <b>190</b> and a second cylindrical inner surface <b>191</b>. The second cylindrical inner surface <b>191</b> defines two second containing grooves <b>193</b> at opposite lateral sides thereof, respectively. The second containing grooves <b>193</b> communicate with the accepting hole <b>192</b>. A fixing pin <b>195</b> is disposed in the center of the accepting hole <b>192</b>, protruding into the accepting hole <b>192</b> from the center of the tail <b>194</b> of the accepting portion <b>19</b>. The fixing pin <b>195</b> includes two fixing blocks <b>196</b> extending from opposite lateral sides thereof, respectively. Thus the two fixing blocks <b>196</b> face the two second containing grooves <b>193</b>. The tail <b>194</b> of the accepting portion <b>19</b> defines two stepped holes <b>197</b> (only one visible in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>) at opposite lateral sides of the fixing pin <b>195</b>, respectively, thereby forming a pair of opposite protruding ribs <b>198</b> of the tail <b>194</b>.

0029Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref>, the two conductive pins <b>14</b> are integrally joined with the charger cover <b>15</b>. The conductive pins <b>14</b> and the charger cover <b>15</b> can be integrally formed together by a process of insert molding. The two conductive pins <b>14</b> are closely joined to the fixing pin <b>195</b> at opposite sides of the fixing pin <b>195</b>, respectively. The fixing blocks <b>196</b> of the fixing pin <b>195</b> are received in the second buckling grooves <b>142</b> of the two conductive pins <b>14</b>, and the two protruding ribs <b>198</b> of the tail <b>194</b> are received in the first buckling grooves <b>143</b>. The leading-out portions <b>146</b> are limited outside of the accepting portion <b>19</b> by the first ends <b>148</b> of the two conductive pins <b>14</b> being engaged in the stepped holes <b>197</b> of tail <b>194</b>. Thereby, the leading-out portions <b>146</b> are enclosed in the charger housing <b>12</b> for electrical connection to inner circuit elements of the charger <b>10</b>.

0030Referring also to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>, in use of the charger assembly <b>1</b>, the power plug <b>20</b> is adapted for connection to a socket of an external AC power source, and the inserting portion <b>29</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b> of the power plug <b>20</b> is inserted into the accepting portion <b>19</b> of the accepting assembly <b>13</b>, thereby allowing the operation voltage of the AC power source to be applied to the charger <b>10</b>.

0031When a user inserts the inserting portion <b>29</b> into the accepting portion <b>19</b>, the lower plate <b>252</b> is positioned on the bottom plate <b>152</b>, the fixing protrusions <b>185</b> slide into the receiver slots <b>285</b> until the first end plate <b>253</b> abuts against the second end plate <b>153</b>, the first portions <b>183</b> of the fixing protrusions <b>185</b> are engaged in the narrow portions <b>283</b> of the receiver slots <b>285</b>, and the second portions <b>181</b> of the fixing protrusions <b>185</b> are engaged in the wide portions <b>281</b> of the receiver slots <b>285</b>. The second extending pieces <b>244</b> and the inserting portion <b>29</b> are received and held in the accepting hole <b>192</b> of the accepting portion <b>19</b>, and the fixing pin <b>195</b> and the two conductive pins <b>14</b> are received and held in the inserting hole <b>292</b> of the inserting portion <b>29</b>. Thus, the second conductive contact portions <b>245</b> abut and contact the main bodies <b>140</b> of the conductive pins <b>14</b>. Thereby, the operation voltage can be applied to the charger <b>10</b>, and the charger <b>10</b> can function to recharge batteries.

0032With the above-described configuration, the power plug <b>20</b> is not connected to the charger <b>10</b> via a cable. Rather, the power plug <b>20</b> can be directly inserted into the charger <b>10</b>, and can be separated from the charger <b>10</b> by drawing the power plug <b>20</b> out from the charger <b>10</b>. Thereby, the one charger <b>10</b> is universally adaptable to a plurality of different power plugs <b>20</b> with different specifications. That is, only the power plug <b>20</b> needs to be switched in the case where another different AC power socket with a different specification needs to be utilized. Furthermore, the plug cover <b>25</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b> is detachably mounted to the base body <b>22</b> having the three plug pins <b>225</b>. Therefore when another power plug <b>20</b> is needed, only the base body <b>22</b> needs to be replaced, by another base body <b>22</b> with plug pins having a specification different from that of the plug pins <b>225</b>. In this way, the specification of the power plug <b>20</b> can be adapted to different AC power sockets having different specifications. The conductive pads <b>227</b> and the corresponding first conductive contact portions <b>243</b> of the conductive connecting blades <b>24</b> abut against each other resiliently. Therefore when another base body <b>22</b> is used to replace an original base body <b>22</b> of the power plug <b>20</b>, there is no need to use or replace cables or other connections. The user can adapt the charger assembly <b>1</b> to different AC power sockets more conveniently.

0033Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref>, a chamber assembly <b>30</b> according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure is similar to the chamber assembly <b>10</b> of the first embodiment. However, in the chamber assembly <b>30</b>, a charger <b>40</b> is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped, and does not define a cutout. A charger cover (not labeled) of the charger <b>40</b> includes a plate substantially the equivalent of only the second end plate <b>153</b>. To use the charger assembly <b>30</b>, a user merely inserts an inserting portion <b>59</b> into an accepting portion <b>49</b>, whereby a power plug <b>50</b> is engaged with the charger <b>40</b>. There is no need to provide a first fixing unit on a cover of the power plug <b>50</b>, and there is no need to provide a second fixing unit on a cover of the charger.

0034Furthermore, taking the above-described first embodiment as an example, the power plug <b>20</b> and the accepting assembly <b>13</b> can serve as a plug assembly to apply an operation voltage of an AC power socket to other kinds of electrical devices besides the charger <b>10</b>. The power plug <b>20</b> is adapted for connection an AC power socket. In the above-described embodiment, the inserting portion <b>25</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b> of the power plug <b>20</b> is insertable into the accepting portion <b>19</b> of the accepting assembly <b>13</b> of the charger <b>10</b>; and likewise the inserting portion <b>25</b> of the inserting assembly <b>23</b> of the power plug <b>20</b> is insertable into the accepting portion <b>19</b> of the accepting assembly <b>13</b> of any other electrical device having such accepting portion <b>19</b> and accepting assembly <b>13</b>. Thereby, the operation voltage of the AC power socket can be applied to a variety of electrical devices by the one same power plug <b>20</b>.

0035It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of their material advantages.